


Darillium

by 1creativeusernameplease



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Darillium, F/M, I love Twelve so much I need him to be happy, River loves the Doctor, Singing Towers of Darillium, Spoilers for Episode: 2015 Xmas The Husbands of River Song, Twelve is a romantic idiot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 23:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17569649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1creativeusernameplease/pseuds/1creativeusernameplease
Summary: The Doctor and River talk about their feelings right after the episode ends.





	Darillium

“Twenty-four years.” 

He tries to suppress his smug smile and turns away from his beautiful wife: partly to hide his watering eyes and partly because he is uncertain. Will she even want to spend twenty-four linear years with him? They’ve never done anything like this before. He glances back at his wife to find her smiling weakly through her tears. That is a good sign, he thinks.

Her voice breaks a little when she speaks. “I hate you.”

His lips twitch in amusement at the use of one of her favorite phrases. “No you don’t,” he responds traditionally. She looks him over then, as if the pure notion of spending so much time with her beloved Doctor is just beginning to sink in. When she looks into his grey-blue eyes again he is stricken by the fierceness of her love in them, and he is swarmed with another wave of guilt. She has loved him all this time without knowing that he did in return. 

She must have seen the shame in his eyes because a moment later, concern furrows her brow. “What’s wrong, my love?” She lays a hand on his chest in a comforting gesture and she feels him tense uneasily beneath her. “Doctor?”

He relaxes after a moment, but the damage was done. “I’m sorry, River. It’s been a while since… I’ve seen you last. I’m afraid I’m not very used to -,” he cuts off, covering her hand on his chest with his own, pressing it to his hearts.

River’s curiosity gets the better of her. “How long has it been?”

He brushes his thumb over her hand. “A long time.”

Her eyes narrow in a way that lets him know he won’t get by with such a vague answer. He sighs and looks down at their joined hands. “A little over a thousand years.” He wasn’t going to tell her about his confession dial. Not yet. He had twenty-four years to tell her that story.  
Her eyes soften as the weight of this information hits her. She lets a fresh tear fall before she tentatively wraps her arms around her husband.

The Doctor gasps softly. He knows this body doesn’t reciprocate hugs as much as his past selves, but no matter what regeneration he was on, he would always hold his wife. His arms wrap themselves around her tightly. He had forgotten how good this felt: his wife in his arms. Her scent filled his nose, like time and cinnamon and home. One of his hands comes up to bury itself in her golden curls and she nuzzles into his neck. Her embrace is so intoxicating he can barely stand it, but he begins anyway.

“River. What you said back on the ship about me not loving you-”

“That was all for effect, sweetie,” she assures with her breath on his ear, making it hard to concentrate, but he needs to say this.

“But the scanner said you were telling the truth.” She felt his new Scottish brogue rumble through his chest.

She chuckles seductively, pulling away to look at him properly. “You should know by now that I am a miraculous liar, sweetie.”

“River.” 

She notices how this new face has very impressive scowling eyebrows and realizes she won’t be able to hide the damage this time. Part of her is relieved that he knows her well enough to understand what she’s feeling, and part of her is dreading having to show that weakness.

She looks back to the towers, which are still singing softly. “I suppose I may have had some doubts from time to time.” 

The Doctor flinches at her soft words. His worst fears had been confirmed. “River-”

“But it’s okay,” she interrupts, her voice forced. “I never expected you to love me back, and I’m okay with that. Really. I understand you are far too complex to delve in such common things as falling in love.” She’s afraid to look at him, so she continues to watch the towers she had longed to see for decades. She’s surprised to hear her husband snort in amusement.

“River, my adventures with you have been anything but common.” He pauses before he goes on. “Oh, River Song. My bespoke psychopath. I never meant for you to hurt so much. It kills me to think you’ve been living this lie for so long.” 

He takes a shaky breath. 

“Because, my dear,” he gently reaches for her chin to turn her head so he can look into her eyes. “I have been falling in love with you, more deeply and strongly, since the very first time I met you.” Her breath catches in her throat but the Doctor presses on. “I have never wavered in my love for you and I never will, so, starting now, you must stop telling yourself something that simply is not true.” He takes both of her hands in his. “I’m so sorry that you didn’t… I never thought I had to say it. I should have told you every chance I got.” He brings her hands to his lips and he kisses them softly. Both of their eyes are brimming with tears. “I love you, River Song. I’m so sorry it took me a thousand years to say it.”

His wife smiles uncontrollably and reaches up to cup her husband’s cheek in her hand. He seems surprised by the touch, but leans into her fingertips automatically.

“You are forgiven, my love. Always and completely.” 

He releases a shuttering smile, relieved, and presses her other hand to his chest. Her eyes widen when she notices the golden band on his ring finger.

“Now what is that?” she says, suppressing her giddy happiness before he can confirm anything. 

The Doctor licks his lips nervously.

“When - when I first regenerated into this body, I thought that was the end. Of us. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again,” he whispers, eyes roaming anywhere but her face. “I suppose I missed you.”

River let out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. “Well, who knew this new face would be so sentimental. I thought, maybe, I would be forgotten.”

The Doctor sighs irritably. “For God’s sake … River,” his eyes bore into hers to make sure she receives the message. “I could not ever forget you.”

For once she is at a loss for words and she has waited far too long. She wraps her arms around her husband’s neck and he encircles his around her waist. It’s been so long.

“I’ll make it a good one,” she breathes.

“You better.” His voice sends shivers down her spine. Their lips crash together and all the things he tried to say tonight echoes in his kiss. River is delighted to find he still tastes the same after his regeneration. Her fingers entwine in his silver curls as he presses closer to her. When they finally break apart there are tears in her eyes. 

The Doctor smiles genuinely and says, “Would you care to dance, my dear?”

She scoffs. “Have you improved since I last saw you?”

“I think you’ll find I’m much more musically inclined this time around.”

**Author's Note:**

> Twelve and River are my OTP and I love them both so much! I just want them both to be happy for 24 years and beyond! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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